Head Of German Department For Refugees Resigns

The border controls went into force late on Wednesday on the motorway connecting the Czech Republic to the eastern German state of Saxony, spokesman Christian Meinhold said.

Talking to reporters in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, Mogherini said Monday that “our internal unity strengthens our external action or weakens it”.

“The dramatically rising number of asylum seekers in Germany poses enormous challenges to the Office as well as to Germany’s states and municipalities”, it said.

Meanwhile, at the end of June, some 592,000 people across the European Union were still waiting for their asylum application to be completed, with Italy having the third-largest (48,300) share of pending applications, behind Germany (305,800) and Sweden (56,000).

President of Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) Manfred Schmidt, Germany’s top official responsible for the processing of applications by asylum-seekers, has requested interior minister Thomas de Maiziere to relieve him of his responsibilities, the ministry said in a statement.

Denmark will not take part in the distribution of the 160,000 asylum seekers proposed by the European Commission, Minister for Immigration, Integration and Housing Inger Stoejberg said here on Friday. He said after that, others arriving in Europe would be taken to “safe regions” outside the continent.

Around 10,700 people walked into Austria from Hungary yesterday, 200 more than on Saturday.

One Syrian survivor, who asked not to be named as she is still in detention, said in a voice message: “They are threatening us that Syrians will be deported to Syria, Iraqis to Iraq”. He says “if someone agrees to the rules, he is admitted, if not, that’s his choice”.

The Hungarian government is warning migrants not to enter the country illegally saying it is a crime punishable by imprisonment.

Hungary, which closed its border with Serbia on September 15, erected another steel barrier at the Beremend border crossing from Croatia to try to slow the flow of migrants.

The countries of central Europe suspended their resistance this weekend to Europe’s largest refugee exodus since the second world war, as Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia all shunted tens of thousands of people towards Austria, reversing most recent attempts to block their passage.

The influx of migrants, majority fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, has led to bitter recriminations between European governments while the temporary closure of national borders has undermined one of the most tangible achievements of the Union.

The new center is expected to register the asylum seekers and then arrange for transport onward.

Hundreds more who attempted to follow in their path found themselves stuck in Istanbul after bus operators, acting on orders from the authorities, refused to sell them tickets for the journey. “If that happens, what we’re seeing now will look like nothing compared with what’s to come”.